But enough of the excuses. Drum roll please, for I have finished the other WIP I was working on, the aran cardigan. I am so pleased with the finished article. The yarn was donated to Loving Hands for charity use, and is 100% wool, so the cardigan will be super-warm for whoever receives it. It will fit a 28 inch chest, so probably a 9-10 year old. The picture below doesn't really convey the rich red of the yarn. It is flecked with yellow and black and is really attractive.
The pattern was one of my Mum's, and offered the option of hood, collar or a simple neckband to finish off the neck. I wasn't sure the I had enough yarn for the hood, so I opted for the collar. It went on really easily and I'm very pleased with the overall finish. A couple of weeks ago we received a large bag of toggles in the scrapstore. I made a donation and took a few to act as the fasteners.
I have also done some other bits and pieces of knitting and crochet since I last posted on here; mostly they were preemie items, including hats, body warmers and a small blanket.